The invention generally regards overshoes for covering footwear. More specifically the invention relates to an overshoe that can functionally cover footwear of various sizes and shapes.
It is general practice to cover footwear with rubber overshoes or PVC overshoes to protect the footwear from inclement weather and to protect the wearer""s feet from both crushing and sudden impacts.
In the past shoes generally shared the same shape so that shoes of the same size shared similar exterior dimensions. Today, conversely, there are: dress, casual, athletic, work, insulated, and safety shoesxe2x80x94including both steel toe and metatarsal protection bootsxe2x80x94most of which do not share the same or even similar exterior dimensions. Due to today""s broad selection of available footwear, a similarly broad selection of overshoes, to properly and safely cover the various styles of footwear, has emerged. Some of the available overshoes have been designed to be worn over a single style and size of shoe while others have been designed to accommodate several sizes of a single style of shoe.
The single size and style overshoe, often a rubber galosh for a dress shoe, is not designed to accept other sizes or styles of shoes. Known overshoes that are designed to accept various sizes of shoes accomplish this by employing accordion-like panels that expand to accept shoes of different sizes. An example of an overshoe employing these accordion style panels is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,026,635, issued to Duncan E. Slade, entitled xe2x80x9cOvershoe,xe2x80x9d and incorporated herein by reference. While these accordion style overshoes can accept multiple sizes of shoes they become ineffective over time as the accordion sides open, stretch, and become deformed after each insertion and removal of the shoe into and out of the overshoe. In addition to becoming stretched, the accordion panels are also susceptible to unwanted opening or unfolding. For example, not needing the sides to unfold, a smaller shoe placed within the overshoe can become loose and even slip out of the overshoe if the accordion sides unintentionally unfold, thereby creating a potentially hazardous situation.
In addition, if an overshoe was designed for a size nine boot, and a size eight or seven boot was instead placed inside, the person wearing the overshoe would experience difficulty in walking. During each step the toe of the wearer would float within the toe portion of the overshoe and the heel of the wearer would slip into and out of the heel cup portion of the overshoe. The wearer would be burdened by this poor functional fit as the heel of the overshoe would sag away from the wearer""s foot and strike the ground before the heel of the shoe during each step. This sagging away from the shoe is awkward, uncomfortable, and hazardous.
Similarly, in the past it has been difficult to use an overshoe to cover various styles of footwear. For example, for an over-the-sock work-boot that is both insulated and has a thick sole, it is unlikely that it will fit into an overshoe designed for a dress shoe, which is not insulated and contains a thinner sole. Conversely, if the overshoe was designed for a work-boot the overshoe would be too large for effective use by the dress shoe. The dress shoe, narrower and shorter in length than the work-boot, would slide around within the toe of the overshoe and would slip out of the heel of the overshoe during each step, as described above.
Therefore, what is needed is an overshoe that can accommodate both multiple styles and multiple sizes of shoes without the shortcomings encountered in the past.
A method and apparatus for functionally covering footwear of various sizes and shapes is provided. In one embodiment an overshoe, having an upper portion with an inside portion and a heel portion, is provided. A first inwardly protruding deformable absorber, which is adapted to restrain footwear placed within the overshoe, is then located within the upper portion of the overshoe.
The invention overcomes the problems known in the past as the overshoe can functionally secure and cover footwear of various sizes and shapes.